Hiss
Apian and Laurent Güdel released an audio piece on cassette. Hiss is a sonic ethnography exploring listening practices in beekeeping. Made in collaboration with the beekeeper Hassan Souaf, the 29-minute piece navigates through the acoustic space of his apiary. Recorded near Inzerki, Morocco — home of the world’s largest migratory apiary — Hiss centres on Hassan’s modest congregation of bee organisms, hived in both traditional and modern beehives. Twenty-two years of practice has provided Hassan with listening abilities to analyse specific sonic cues, allowing him to monitor and predict bee behaviour. Building upon a conversation which discusses these skills, Hiss interweaves recordings of honeybees together with Laurent’s electronic music. The result momentarily unites an array of acoustic communities into a polyphonic interspecies composition.
Limited edition of 100x C58 cassettes with contents added to side a only and standard white onbody print to side a only, supplied in clear cases with printed fronts, and double sided jcards with +3 extra panels using eco natural cardstock.
Hassan: All night, virgins, I think it’s the virgins who make that noise. All the hives that want to swarm, that’s how they do it. All the queens. In traditional hives — in boxes [modern hives] you can’t really hear it — in traditional hives you can always hear it, the sound is very loud. The first time I thought it was a duck (laugh). But then I found out it was the queens who make that sound (Hassan imitating a queen quacking and tooting).
Hassan: My name is Souaf Hassan, I am a Moroccan beekeeper. I started beekeeping in 1996. I hear a vibration coming from the ground. When I put my head on the soil. It’s coming from the ground. During the month of June. Because it is the sound of bees and because there are many bees. But it’s true.Laurent: Yeah, that’s interesting, since we’re interested in how beekeepers use their ears. And you also said…Hassan: Yeah… for example in the swarming month, when I want to go to the souk, or somewhere else. Then in the evening, I come to the hives and put my ears, if I hear (Hassan imitating a queen quacking), that’s a queen coming out tomorrow. Then, I’ll stay. If no hive says (Hassan imitating a queen quacking), it means that the queens won’t swarm. You always hear the queens in the evening and at night, before going out that day (Hassan imitating a queen quacking).Laurent: And you also explained to us… what was that? The drone’s sound?Hassan: The drones, they say (Hassan imitating a drone). And the bees (Hassan imitating a honeybee). If you disturb a bee with your hand (Hassan imitating a honeybee).Laurent: We’re gonna record that after, too (laugh).Hassan: If you want, I can get a bee?Laurent: Yes, I would like to.Hassan: Okay, no problem.Laurent: Can you get one down here?
Hassan: Yeah… here’s a little present for you.
Aladin: Thank you.
Hassan: It’s here.
Laurent: Can you get really close to the mic? So, what’s it doing?
Hassan: It’s telling me: “Let me go. I’ll sting you. Careful, I’ll sting you. Let me get out of here. Let me get out of here. I’ll sting you… I stung you. Just leave me alone. Let me go, let me go.” So it stung me. You see? It’s eating pollen. This is a disruption. This is the noise of disruption.
D.3
Hassan: We need research and we need to know more about this beautiful little bee which tells us: “Search, and always do research, if you can know a little about my life and my work, my wax constructions, my production of honey, propolis and venom. And I gather all kinds of flowers which you need to live. But you, man, you don’t respect my role in your life. So just take one step and stop destroying my life and my role in your life. Stop the pesticides. Let us live, you and me in a very natural and clean place. Because my life is bound to be attached to your life, but too bad, I think you’ll find out when it’s too late. And when I leave this little planet, I wish you, with all my heart, not to follow me.”
A poem written by Souaf Hassan.
